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One Number (Crippled Series)
One Number is the 7th chapter of Crippled. It follows the day of the training scores. One Number I wake up refreshed. It’s been a long time since I’ve fallen asleep without worrying about my death, and I can’t help but attribute this change to the fact that I’ve stopped listening to Lucy. Maybe it’s not the smartest thing to do, ignoring your mentor, but she was an unhelpful druggie. Lexi, at least, can go through a day with the aid of pills. With the aid of my crutch I get dressed in purple track shorts and a white t-shirt. Purple, apparently, is becoming my signature color. My stomach growls, but I don’t want to go to the dining room and see Lucy. For the first time I notice the miniature door set into the wall. I whisper what I want into the nearby mouthpiece, and seconds later a tray of warm bread and gravy appears right behind the door. In the silence of my room, I sit back down on my bed and eat. I’m hoping that Nathan will visit me, but no one knocks on my door. My strategy of being looked over is working a little too well. Five minutes before I’m supposed to be at the training center, Lexi knocks at my door to escort me to the elevator. Her bright smile seems fixed on her face, and when though she look s at me I get the feeling she doesn’t want to. I ignore her, even though I wish she would understand that this is my life on the line, that it is all the what-if’s I’ll never know if I die. To my surprise, Nathan hasn’t left for the training center yet, and is waiting for me by the elevator. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him; I run up and give him a hug before he can say a word. It’s ironic; the only person here who I really trust is the person who will die if I live. When I finally let him go, Nathan smiles brightly at me before speaking. “Hi Evi! I just wanted to wish you luck with your training score!” “It’ll be easy for me Nathan; I just have to get a low score. I should be wishing you luck.” Nathan smiles a little wider and shrugs. Lexi makes an impatient noise by the waiting elevator, obviously wanting me to hurry. If I believed what Lucy told me, I would be curious about what happens to escorts when their tributes run late. Nathan tells me to go first in the elevator; he still has to keep up appearances to stay in the Careers alliance so he’ll come down after us. I wave goodbye with the hand not holding onto my crutch as the elevator doors close. I know if I’m going to avoid Lucy, Lexi at least needs to be on my side. I maneuver my body so I’m facing Lexi, and silently hope some of the pity she used to feel for me is still there. “Lexi, are you mad at me?” Lexi turns to me to give me the answer I knew she would, a smile plastered on her face. “Of course not Evi. Maybe the Games are just making you paranoid, but I promise I’m acting in your best interest.” “So, you’d never want me to die, would you?” “Of course n-” Lexi pauses, realizes I’ve caught her between keeping me alive and believing that I’d be better off dead. “Evi, of course I don’t want you to die. I know you can win the Hunger Games, and when you do, well, I’ll be the first person to congratulate you. But Evi, I really wish you’d understand that-” With a tiny ding the elevator doors open, and Lexi’s mouth closes. I hobble slowly towards the tributes who are listening to the training instructor explain today’s events, still acting weak even though all of the tributes look away once they realize who I am. They couldn’t be bothered to waste time looking at a crippled girl, who they think has no chance of winning. We’re told that we’ll have half a day left to train, and at lunch we’ll wait in District order to demonstrate our skills. Everyone around me seems quieter than normal, but that’s probably because of all the extra peacekeepers in the room, making sure the chaos of yesterday is not repeated. A few tributes glare at each other and I realize the fact that I wasn’t in the fight, and therefore didn’t fight anyone, means that a lot of people will be trying to get revenge during the Games. I’ll be completely ignored. Excellent. I start to clumsily walk to the shelter-maker station, but a gleam of silver catches my eye, stopping me. A weapon was laid out on the table, looking deadly even while lying motionless on the table. It’s nothing like the knives I’ve used it in the factory to cut cloth during the several times the normal cutting machines broke. It’s a large knife with a curved blade. I know it’s the weapon for me, I can just feel it. “It’s called a kukri.” To Be Continued….Later (but hopefully soon) Category:Crippled Chapters Category:Story chapters